414 R. H. Scott — Irish Fossil Mammalia. 



5. Elephas, sp. 11. Cervus elaphus. 



6. Hippopotamus. 12. Megaceros Sibernicus, 



7. Susscrofa, 13. Tarandusrangifer. 



8. Bos frontosus. 14. Ovis, sp. 



9. Bos longifrons. 15. Cetaceans. 

 10. Cervus alces. 



In this Catalogue I do not attempt to place on record the circum- 

 stances under which the remains have been found, unless in a few 

 instances. To the list which I have given some more might be 

 added ; but these I do not consider to deserve the title of fossils, — 

 such are the Fallow Deer, with many instances of Cetacean remains. 

 On this point I need only remind the members that a few years ago 

 an Armadillo was discovered walking about in a field in the county 

 of Meath, having been thrown out of a travelling menagerie, in an 

 apparently dying condition. Another similar instance is to be found 

 in the case of the skeleton of the Lion which was found in the county 

 of Carlow. Fortunately, before the account of this addition to our 

 Irish fossil Fauna was quite ready for publication, an old man turned 

 up who remembered the fact of a dead Lion having been thrown out 

 of a menagerie some sixty years before, which, after being skinned, 

 was buried in the field. 



Bears. — Three species of bears have been hitherto discovered in 

 Ireland, and the progress of geological discovery has been more rapid 

 in respect of this animal than of any other. In 1843, Dr. Scouler 

 noticed that no Bears had been observed in Ireland, and in the year 

 1846 the discovery of no less than four skulls had been placed on 

 record. There is no record of the existence of Bears in Ireland, as 

 is remarked by Dr. Scouler in his paper on the animals which have 

 disappeared from Ireland.^ The oft-quoted statement of St, Donatus, 

 who died in 840, is considered conclusive on this point : — 



" Ursorum rabies nulla est ibi, sseva leonum 

 Semina nee unquam Scotica terra tiolit, 

 Nulla venena nocent, nee serpens serpit in herb^ 

 Nee conquesta canit garrula rana lacu." 



The remaining evidence on the subject is entirely negative, and is 

 derived from Giraldus Cambrensis and others. On the other hand. 

 Sir W. Wilde'^ mentions that there is an Irish name for the animal in 

 an old glossary in the Library of Trinity College, and Thompson 

 mentions the existence of traditions of the animal. 



In tracing the fossil Bears, I have derived much assistance from 

 my friend, Dr, W. Frazer, one of our members, who has interested 

 himself much in the matter, 



TJrsus arctos. — The first Bears' skulls were obtained by Mr. Under- 

 wood, who said that he found two in the county of Longford, in 

 1846. These were bought by A, W, Baker, Esq. 



Dr. Ball was permitted to take casts of the two skulls, which he 

 presented to the Eoyal Irish Academy in 1846 f and at the same 

 time he presented a cast of a third skull, which was in the possession 



• "Journal of the Geological Society of Dublin," vol. i., p. 228. 



* " Proceedings of the Eoyal Irish Academy," vol. vii., p. 193. 

 ^ "Proceedings of the Eoyal Irish Academy," vol. iv., p. 416. 



